Portugal’s ‘discredited’ parties a boon for local independents
SINTRA, Portugal (Reuters) – Disillusion with Portugal’s main parties, both battered by association with the country’s deep economic crisis and international bailout, is translating into a surge in independent candidates for Sunday’s local elections.
Japan Defence chief: Need to bolster surveillance over Pacific
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said on Friday that Japan needs to expand its surveillance activities to cover the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea, to better protect to its maritime interes…
Russian court order activists held over Arctic oil protest
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian court ordered 20 Greenpeace activists from around the world to be held in custody for two months pending further investigation over a protest against offshore oil drilling in the Arctic, drawing condemnation and a vow to ap…
Russian court order activists held over Arctic oil protest
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian court ordered 20 Greenpeace activists from around the world to be held in custody for two months pending further investigation over a protest against offshore oil drilling in the Arctic, drawing condemnation and a vow to ap…
U.S., Iran voice optimism and caution after rare encounter
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran and the United States held their highest-level substantive talks in a generation on Thursday, saying the tone was positive but sounding cautious about resolving the long-running standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.
Kerry’s ‘Shall we talk?’ prompts rare private meeting between Iran and U.S.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – First there was a handshake, then an invitation to talk and finally a 30-minute tete-a-tete that made for the highest-level official meeting between the United States and Iran in more than three decades.
China’s ‘mini-Hong Kong’ eyes Internet access, shrugs off Shanghai threat
SHENZHEN/HONGKONG (Reuters) – A planned economic zone in southern China will allow full internet freedom, similar to what will be allowed in a proposed free trade zone in Shanghai, a senior official behind the project said on Thursday.
China’s ‘mini-Hong Kong’ eyes Internet access, shrugs off Shanghai threat
SHENZHEN/HONGKONG (Reuters) – A planned economic zone in southern China will allow full internet freedom, similar to what will be allowed in a proposed free trade zone in Shanghai, a senior official behind the project said on Thursday.
Palestinian leader urges world powers to rein in Israeli settlements
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that “time is running out” for Middle East peace efforts and urged world powers to rein in Israeli settlement construction that he warned could undermine U.S.-sponsored neg…
Iran proposes fully implementing nuclear pact within a year: U.S
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran proposed carrying out an agreement to address concerns about its nuclear program within a year at talks with major powers on Thursday, a senior U.S. State Department official said.




